Blanket



March 11, -1958 RB. sAwTELL ETAL 2,825,912

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March A11, 1958 R. B. sAw'rELL ETAL '2 2,825,912

BLANKET Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 30, 1954 ff, A,l

f lll', f

Jmes 7 Gres/zam 2,825,912 Patented Mar. 11, 1958 ice BLANks'r Richard B. Sawtell, Neenah, and .llames T. Gresham, Appleton, Wis.; said Sawteil assignor, by mesne assignu ments, to KimberlyClarlr Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 30, i954, Serial No. 419,767

9 Claims. (Cl. 5-334) The present invention is concerned with an improved blanket, particularly one which is to be used for emergency purposes outdoors.

in the design and manufacture of blankets from textile and non-textile materials, the ultimate standard for comparisons on performance is a wool blanket. characteristics of a woven or knitted wool fabric, and the iibers themselves, particularly the presence of numerous small air spaces between the individual wool bers makes the wool blanket an excellent heat insulating medium. Additionally, the inherent strength of the wool bers and their resiliency provide the wool blanket with properties of strength, foldability, and a drape, i. e., ability to conform, which are diiicult to match in blankets produced from other types of materials.

While wool blankets have all of the above advantages for ordinary use, such blankets nevertheless have disadvantages which become most apparent when a blanket is desired for emergency purposes. Such emergency uses may arise, for example, in connection with traffic accidents, industrial accidents, and outdoor accidents of other descriptions.

While the blanket of the present invention is particularly useful for emergency uses, it is equally applicable for other outdoor uses such as for campers and other Sportsmen, horse and cattle blankets, frost blankets for shrubs, and for various other uses.

Wool blankets, while they constitute the best available product, are not entirely satisfactory for the purposes mentioned above for one or more reasons. For example, when the blanket is to be used outdoors, the naturally high absorbency of Wool blankets with respect to water provides a definite disadvantage in use.

Another and very serious inherent disadvantage of wool blankets for this type of use comes from their bulkif' ness. No convenient means has been developed by which wool blankets can be compressed to a convenient size for storage. rI`he problem is particularly important in the case of providing emergency blankets for aircraft, re-

pair trucks, and other vehicles where space is at a premium. Furthermore, wool blankets are liable to damage by moths, mildew, and other agencies during storage. In addition, wool blankets represent a substantial initial investrnent which becomes greatly increased during the life of the blanket by the fact that the blankets must be thoroughly cleaned after each use or after long periods of storage. Such reuse, of course, is necessary if the initial cost of the blanket is to be justified.

ln View of the foregoing, the need still remains for an inexpensive, strong, compact, water resistant blanket material which provides the warmth and drape of a wool blanket without the disadvantages noted above. In many cases, the blanket should be capable of being stored in a very small space and, while in storage, the blanket should be free from the possibility of damage due to dirt, moths, mildew, and other influences. As an economical matter, the cost of such a blanket should preferably be no more The natural i than the cost of cleaning a wool blanket having similar insulating properties, so that it would be economical for the user to use a new blanket each time one is required. However, there are other advantages to the new blanket which more than justify its use even at a higher cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide an easily portable emergency blanket suitable for general outdoor use and provided with a reasonably strong sheet and a body comprising layers of flexible sheet material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a readily compressible and re-expansible covering unit composed of inexpensive materials.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a .blanket having the warmth of a wool blanket of equal weight and size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacture for the type of blanket described above.

The present invention, in its preferred form, is a blanket composed primarily of a pad having a plurality of plies of creped cellulosic sheets, of wadding or tissue type, in combination with a backing composed of a relatively strong sheet of paper which may be creped, convoluted, crinkled, iluted, or pleated. The backing and the wadding plies are compressed in a direction perpendicular to the lines of creping in the wadding and also along the thickness of the blanket. The blanket is folded and compressed into a compact, expansible package having a density on the order of about 10 to 30 pounds per cubic foot.

Perhaps the most important single element in producing the blanket of the present invention is the manner of compressing the blanket during its formation. This applies both to the degree of compression and to the manner of compressing the blanket during its formation. The most satisfactory results have been obtained where the blanket is compressed suiciently to provide a final density in the range from about 10 to 30 pounds per cubic foot and preferably from 20 to 30 pounds per cubic foot. At densities of less than aobut l0 pounds per cubic foot, the blanket becomes too bulky to become a convenient size for a compressed package, while at densities of greater than 3() pounds per cubic foot, it becomes Very difficult to decompress or expand the blanket to a size approximating its original dimensions.

Closely associated with the question of proper density is the technique of applying the compression in the correct manner. In order to secure all of the advantages of the blanket of the present invention, it has been found very desirable to employ compression of the folded blanket in both a lengthwise and a transverse direction as the last stage in the compression of the blanket. Initially, the blanket is folded lengthwise, i. e., along its long dimension and then crosswise to form a plurality of folds with the exposed edges of the blanket extending inwardly so that the edges are protected against scufng and dirt. Inward folding of the edges also prevents the formation of hardened edges on the blanket during compression. Preferably, the initial compression of the blanket takes place transversely and is of sucient intensity to compress the product to about one third of its initial folded thickness. rl`his initial compression serves to force the creped wadding sheets into engagement with other adjacent sheets and thereby provide areas of mechanical interlocking during the subsequent longitudinal compression of the blanket.

After the initial compression in the transverse direction, the product is compressed longitudinally while restraining the product from expanding in thickness. During the initial compression, the wedding sheets are brought into closer contact with each other, so that during the subsequent longitudinal compression, these contacting sheets -tively'strong sheet of kraft paper or the like.

asesora r2 can Workon each other to provide an improved drape or conformability in the reexpanded product. 1t is not absolutely necessary that the product be under a positive transversecompression during the time the blanket is f being compressedlongitudinally but at least some means should be provided for restraining any substantial expan- :sion of the-blanketk transversely during this part oi' the trate the inner construction of the blanket;

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the blanket after the initial folding operation;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the blanket after the .i completion of folding and prior to its initial compression;

' Figure 5 is a' view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the condition of tne blanket after initial compression;

Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of the blanket compression mechanism showing the manner in which the longitudinal compression is carried out;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 and illustrating the blanket after the compression has been completed;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5, illustrating the side of the blanket after compression;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary View of the blanket in its v compressed condition, the View being taken substantially along the line 9 9 of Figure 7;

Figure l() is a view in perspective of a box suitable for packaging the compressed blanket;

Figure ll is a fragmentary view with portions broken away, illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Figure l2 is a view similar to Figure ll but illustrating a still further modified form of the invention.

Figures l and 2 illustrate a suitable starting material for the compressed blanket, consisting of a rectangular mat 10 conveniently measuring about four feet by eight feet and measuring about one-quarter inch in thickness. The mat l0, as shown in Figure 2, may consist of a plurality of piles ll of creped cellulosic wadding preferably containing small deposits 12 of asphalt particles. The individual plies lll are secured together by means of spaced rows of embossing i3 of sufcient depth, as seen in Figure 2, to reduce substantially the thickness of the wadding plies l1 in the embossed areas, and to hold the sheets together as a unit.

While ordinary creped wadding is satisfactory for use in the blankets of the present invention, it is preferable to use sheet material which has been partially filled with as phalt or similar material in an amount from about 6 to 25 percent of its weight. Cellulosic tissue material containing asphalt and suitable for use in a blanket of the present invention has been described and claimed in Fourness, U. S. Patent No. 2,170,655. As mentioned in that patent, the filler is preferably in the form of small, discrete particles of widely differing dimensions, the particles being attached to the individual fibers of the sheet by fusion.

This type of wadding is particularly effective for the purposes of the present invention, because the presence of the asphalt tends to keep the moisture from affecting the bers, as might be the case with untreated wadding.

While the characteristics of the cellulosic wadding sheets employed may vary, depending upon the ultimate use to which the blanket may be put, it has been found that for normal use, creped cellulosic wedding sheets having an uncreped basis weight of about 5 to 81/2 pounds per standard rearn of 2880 square feet and a crepe ratio of about 2.0 to 3.0 are the most satisfactory.

The backing sheet or cover sheet may consist of a rela- The sheet. may or may not be waterproofed, softened, llameproofed,

E posed to dirt, water, and other contaminants.

creped, or pleated prior to itscompressicn into the blanket. In the illustrated form of the invention, a backing sheet la is secured to the face of the innermost wadding ply of the plies lll by means of spaced deposits l5 of suitable adhesive, such as dextrin. The adhesive deposits l5 may take the form of spaced dots or lines extending in a prearranged pattern across the backing sheet i4. The backing sheetmay also be stitched to the wadding plies.

The choice of a proper backing sheet for the blanket is an important element of the present invention. The sheet must be rather strong so as to minimize the danger of tearing when in use. Furthermore, the sheet may be water resistant to prevent the cellulosic wadding layers from picking up dampness from the earth when the blanket is laid on the ground. In addition, the outer sheet should preferably be lire resistant. To satisfy these requirements, we prefer to use a creped, kraft paper sheet having an uncreped basis weight of about 20 to 60 pounds lper ream of 2880 square feet and a crepe ratio of 1.25

to 21). Where strength is not a particularly important factor, a lighter sheet may be used. This backing sheet may be treated in any of a variety of well-known means to make it lire resistant, and to increase its water resistance. 1

The number of plies of wadding employed in the blanket will normally be in the range from 3 to 20 with about l0 plies being preferred. The individual wadding plies can be held together in a self-sustaining pad or batt by embossing the superposed layers of wadding with sufcient embossed areas being provided to lock the sheets together against relative movement, or by sitching.

The proper manner for folding the pad l@ is illustrated by means of the fold lines shown in Figure l and by the showings in Figures 3 and 4. Initially, the pad l@ is folded along longitudinally extending fold lines 16 and il?, each of which is spaced equidistant between the longitudinal center line of the pad lll and a marginal edge of a pad lil. The initial folding, as illustrated in Figure 3. provides a pair of elongated panels 18 and 19 which approach each other but are spaced apart by a narrow spacing 2l at the center of the pad 10. Then, the pad it) is folded along its longitudinal center line to provide a four ply structure.

Next, the pad 'l0 is doubled up by folding the pad l0 along cross fold lines 22 and 23 each of which is spaced equidistant from the cross center line 24 and the opposite marginal edges of the pad lll. Finally, the pad is folded along the center line 24 to provide the four fold structure illustrated in Figure 4 and including the two outer folds 26 and 27 and the two inwardly turned folds 2S and 29. It will be observed that with this manner of folding, the exposed edges indicated at 28a and 29a of the drawings are tucked inwardly so as not to be ex- Of course, the manner of folding given above is purely exemplary, and numerous methods of Vfoldingmay be employed for various purposes.

The folded blanket is then received between a pair of pressure plates 3l and 32., the plates being movable lrelative to each other so as to compress the blanket transversely in its folded condition to reduce the thickness thereof prior to longitudinal compression. As illustrated in Figure 5, the initial compression transversely of the blanket is carried out until the thickness is preferably about one-third the thickness of the blanket initially, as shown in Figure 4.

Following the initial transverse compression, the blanket is compressed .longitudinally between a pair of guide rails 33 and 34 illustrated schematically in Figures 6 and 7. During this linal:compression, it is desirable to prevent the blanket from increasing in thickness and so it is desirable to leavev the upper pressure plate 32 in vposition duringthe longitudinal compression. This plate has been eliminated from Figures 6 and 7 solely for the anaael 'purpose of better illustrating the manner of compressing the blanket longitudinally.

Longitudinal compression is provided by means of a pair of relatively movable pressure bars 36 and 37 at opposite ends of the blanket, the bars 36 and 37 being free to slide relative to the guide bars 33 and 34. In the longitudinal compression, the blanket is compressed by a factor of about four to one, that is, by starting with a folded length of slightly over two feet, the final length of the compressed blanket is reduced to slightly over onehalf foot.

vAs a result of the above-described longitudinal and transverse compression of the wadding plies 11 and the backing 14, releasable mechanical interlocks are formed between the plies making up the folded blanket. This is illustrated in Figure 9, and as there shown, the folds are interengaged to create an interlocked series of folds. The individual plies also have compression induced interlocks between vertically adjacent plies. This type of rcleasable mechanical interlocking between both the individual folds and the individual blanket plies provides excellent stability for the blanket in that it prevents any substantial expansion of the highly compressed wadding while the blanket is in the package. Relatively simple, lightweight packaging is thereby made possible with further advantages. At the same time, the bonds created by the interlocking are sufficiently weak so that the blanket may be re-expanded from its compressed condition for immediate use.

During compression, the blanket is densiiied by a factor of about five to ten times to provide a compact, readily portable package. A blanket which was initially four feet by eight feet by one-quarter inch is readily compressible to a package measuring about twelve inches by seven and one-half inches by one and tive-eighths inches.

The blanket in its compressed condition may be conveniently stored indefinitely in a chipboard or similar container 41 of the type illustrated in Figure l0. The container 41 may be provided with perforations 42 and 43 extending a-cross the package and a line of perforations 44 extending lengthwise of the package. The ends of the package may be sealed by means of adhesive to provide a completely airtight, dirt-free enclosure for the blanket during storage. When ready for use, the package may be easily broken by breaking the container along the lines 42, 43, and 44 and withdrawing the compressed blanket from its package.

The blanket is reexpanded by simply unfolding the compressed blanket to eliminate the cross folds and then stretching the blanket lengthwise, i. e., in a direction perpendicular to the lines of creping, until the desired length is obtained. After stretching, the blanket is unfolded longitudinally to its full width. When the blanket has been compressed sufficiently to provide a density of l0 to 30 pounds per cubic foot, it will be found that a blanket originally four feet by eight feet can be eX- panded to dimensions of about four feet by seven and one-half feet. This slight difference in final from starting dimensions is desirable, as the presence of some remaining crepe in the blanket gives it additional strength.

The blanket may be readily reexpanded by a single person, simply by holding one end of the blanket under his shoe and stretching the blanket lengthwise.

Where the blanket is to be used as a litter, or Where a lightweight sheet is used as a backing, it is desirable to incorporate some reinforcing means in the structure. The form of the invention illustrated in Figure ll employs a backing sheet 46 of kraft paper and a liner 47 composed of a pad of superposed plies of cellulosic wadding. interposed between the pad 47 and the backing sheet 46 is a scrim 43 composed of jute, glass fibers, or similarly strong bers. The scrim 48 can be adhesively secured to both the pad 47 and the backing 46. Alternatively, the scrim may be disposed between the sheets of the pad itself.

Some additional benefit is derived by interposing a mass of loosely matted, strong bers such as glass bers 49 between the backing sheet and the pad 47 as illustrated in Figure l2.

Tests on the emergency blanket (after re-expansion) have indicated that the blanket of the present invention has warmth qualities equivalent to those of a three-pound wool blanket of the same area. The improved blanket in its compressed condition has only one-fifth to one-sixth the volume of the comparable wool blanket without an increase in weight. The blanket is considerably less eX- pensive than the Wool blanket and can be made to cost less than the price of a single cleaning of the comparable wool blanket. The conformability characteristics of the improved paper and wadding blanket compare favorably with the characteristics of a good wool blanket. In addition, the resistance of the paper backing to re and moisture penetration can be made far superior to that evidenced by a wool blanket, while the absorptiveness of the wadding facing is at least as good as that of a wool blanket.

Although shown and described with respect to a blanket, it will be apparent that other forms of expansible units, such as absorbent pad bodies, bandages and the like, might be made in accordance with the above teachings without departing from the principles of this invention.

We claim:

l. An expansible blanket comprising a backing of a water resistant, creped paper sheet and a pad material including a plurality of plies of attached creped cellulosic wadding secured to said backing, said blanket including folded-over portions with the folded blanket compressed lengthwise and along its thickness to provide a compact package wherein the folds of said blanket are releasably interlocked with vertically adjacent folds, and said plies of wadding having compression induced interlocks between vertically adjacent plies, thereby minimizing the tendency of the folded package toward self-expansion while permitting said folded package to be readily unfolded and extended into a blanket.

2. The method of making an extensible blanket which comprises applying a creped paper sheet to a plurality of plies of creped cellulosic wadding sheets to form a paper backed wadding mat with the crepe lines in the backing and wadding extending in the same general direction, folding said mat to provide a folded mat of reduced length and reduced width, and compressing said folded mat in a direction perpendicular to the direction of creping of said plies and along the thickness of said folded mat to releasably interlock the abutting folded surfaces of the blanket along the lines of crepe to provide a compact, relatively dense package having a unit density of from about 5 to about l0 times the original density of the unfolded mat.

3. An expansible unit comprising a backing composed of a sheet of creped paper and a pad material including a plurality of attached plies of creped cellulosic sheets secured to said backing with the lines o-f creping in said attached plies extending generally in the direction of the lines of creping in said backing sheet, said unit being folded upon itself with the folded unit compressed along its thickness and also compressed in a direction generally perpendicular to the lines of creping to form a compact expansible package.

4. A compact expansible blanket comprising a backing composed of a sheet of creped paper and a pad material including a plurality of attached plies of creped cellulosic sheets secured to said backing with the lines of creping in said cellulosic sheets extending generally in the direction of the lines of creping in said backing sheet, said blanket being folded including portions folded over along a line generally transverse to the direction of said lines of creping and compressed along the thickness of said blanket to reduce such thickness and in a direction perpendicular to the lines of creping in said plies and asegura backing to .substantially reduce the length of said blanket and. tofefect .aninterlocking ofy theY abutting, folded surfaces along the lines of creping7 whereby elongation .and .expansion of said folded blanket upon release of thc ing composed of a sheet of creped paper, ar'pad including a plurality of. attached plies of creped cellulosic wadding secured to said backing with the lines of cre in said cellulosic sheets extending generally in the du* tion of the lines of creping in said backing sheet, the plies of .said Wadding having an-uncreped basis weight of from 5 to 8.5 pounds per ream of 2880 square fe land a crepe ratio of from 2.0 to 3.8, said blanket being folded upon itself along al line genet transverse to said lines of creping and compressed along the thickness of said blanket to reduce such thicknes and compressed in direction perpendicular to the lines of creping in said plies and backing to substantially reduce the length of said-blanket, whereby .the abutting, folded surfaces are interlockeo along the lines of creping to prevent elongation and'expansion of the folded blanket upon release of the pressure thereon.

6. A compact expansible blanket as set forth in claim 5, wherein said. wadding contains asphalt in an amount from 6 to 25 percent by weight, and said folded, compressed blanket has a density in the range of 2() to 30 pounds per cubic foot.

7. A compact expansible blanket comprising a oa-cking composed of a creped paper sheet having an uncreped basis weight of about 20 to 60 pounds per ream of 2880 square feet and a crepe ratio of 1.25 to 2.0, and a pad material including a plurality of attached plies of ci d cellulosic wadding secured to said backing with the lines of creping in said wadding extending generally in the direction of the lines of creping in said backing sheet, the plies of said wadding having an uncreped basis Weight of from 5.0 to 8.5 pounds per ream of 288() square feet and a crepe ratio of 2.0 to 3.0, said wadding containing asphalt in an amount from 6 to 25 percent by Weight, said blanket being folded upon itself along a line generally transverse to the direction of said lines of creping and compressed along the thickness of said blanket to reduce such thickness and compressed in a direction perpendicular to the lines of creping in said plies and backing to substantially reduce the length of said blanket` whereby the blanket is foldedfand. compressed into a compact,. expansible...package.having a.density in the .range .from about 2U to 30pounds per rcubic foot with ,the abutting,.-folded surfacesbeing releasably interlocked together along the lines of creping to minimize the tend ency of the folded .blanket toward self-expansion.

8. The method of making a compactly folded, expansiblefblanket, which comprises applying a creped paper sheet to a. plurality of plies of creped cellulosic Wadding sheets to form a paper backed wadding mat with the lines of creping in the backing and Wadding extending in the same general direction, folding a-pair of opposite side edge portions of the blanket toward each other in over- -lying relation to an intermediate portion of the blanket,

folding said blanket along a line intermediate said opposite side edge portions to thereby further reduce the width of said blanket and to conceal the side edges within the fold of the blanket, and compressing said folded blanket along the thickness of said folded. mat and in a direction generally.perpendicular to the direction of the lines of creping of said plies and backing, to thereby releasably interlock the abutting folded surfaces of the blanket along the lines of creping and thus minimize the tendency of the folded blanket toward self-expansion.

9. The method of making a compactly folded, expansible unit, which comprises applying a creped paper sheet to a plurality of plies of creped cellulosic wadding sheets to form a paper backed Wadding mat with the crepe lines in the backing and Wadding extending in the same general direction, folding the unit along a line transverse to the general direction of said crepe lines, and compressing said folded unit in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of creping of said plies and backing and along the thickness of said folded mat, to thereby releasably interlock the abutting folded surfaces of the unit along the lines of crepe and minimize the tendency of the folded unit toward selfexpansi0n- References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

